Film analysis of the NFCCG

Originally posted by defenderDX:
so people can shut up now about how we run passing plays that consist of High school WR route running concepts?

Why? We said all along if you see 3 and 4 (even 5) receiver sets it's almost always a pro-style (PS) play...same concept here. It looked like the #1 read was Patton, then Boldin but CK didn't hit either on the crossing route so like a lot of our successful play designs, execution centered around "ad lib." CK and Crabtree did well ad libbing even though CK by design, probably had Patton initially, certainly had Boldin the whole way and settled for the deeper Crabtree route...good adjustment by Crabtree. Since Crabtree came back our ad lib plays have been WAY better esp. in the EZ. Also, ever since Crabtree has come back, we've seen more PS plays as well.

Here's the TD pass to end the second drive of the 2nd half, and put the 49ers up by a TD. This might be the craziest pass we've seen all year from Kap. It rivals the pass versus TB when Kap was running towards the sideline and fired a bullet to Crabs for a crucial 3rd down conversion (after Crabs chucked the ball and was flagged for a personal foul).

Below: This is how the play was drawn up. The bunching of Crabs and Boldin suggests the 49ers thought they'd see man coverage. My guess is that the 49ers thought they would see man coverage with a single high safety (cover1 man). So then the dual corner routes (Boldin and VD) are designed to attack, then break away from the single high safety, forcing him to make a choice on which corner route to give help to. The deep safety is Chancellor, while EThomas is aligned over Boldin (big cushion).

Below: A bit of pre-snap action as the way the 49ers align themselves causes a bit of confusion for SEA. Maxwell motions over to his LB to cover Vance right before the ball is snapped.

Below: First read is Vance.

Below: Same time as picture above. 1st read is Vance. He's got a LB all over him.

Below: 2nd read is VD who the deep safety has chosen to double.

Below: Same time as picture above. Notice the deep safety shading over to VD's side. However, Kap senses pressure (thanks, Snyder) and has to bolt from the pocket.

Below: Kap steps up in the pocket to evade the pressure. Red line is Kap. Blue circle is Thomas draped all over Boldin. Because Chancellor has chosen to double VD, Boldin could be available for a pass, provided he can get some separation from Thomas and had Kap been in a position to throw the ball.

Below: Kap channels his inner Jeff Garcia with the jump pass.

Below: Earl Thomas is a lot of things, but a 6 footer, he is not.

Boldin works back to the middle of the field when the play breaks down.

Yuck...successful but threading a needle with 3 defenders and staring Crabtree down the entire way? Lucky!

Check that down to either Hunter/McDonald here and pick up some nice, easy positive yards (probably 10ish).

Really?

Quarterbacks throw to AREAS, Crabtree's route was taking him into the only open area on the field. It was the perfect read and perfect throw.
You can't assume these "open" check down routes are open. They LOOK open, but the defenders close FAST on those routes. They might have gotten us three yards or less.

Rogers won a Super Bowl making two dozen of these super tight throws. These are the types of throws you have to make in the NFL.

Originally posted by znk916:
Would like to see analysis of Gore's 11 carries. Huge question as to whether he still has anything left or if he's done. Run game was shut down way too many times this yr and it's always easy to point the finger at the RB. I tend to always give him the benefit of the doubt since he was never a burner to begin with.

There were no places for Gore to run in nearly all his carries. Consistent penetration by the SEA Dline, coupled with missed blocks resulted in Gore's bad day on the ground. There were blocking mistakes from Vance, Iupati, Boone, Staley, on different plays where a -1,0, or +1 yard gain could have gone for +3 or +4 yards had the blocking been better. Just an all around subpar effort by the Oline/FB/TE that I can't tell if it's because Gore lost a step. I'm sure the crowd noise had a lot to do with it as well. That split second advantage is sometimes the difference between winning or losing a leverage battle while blocking. This has been mentioned by many posters.

Here are some of the Gore carries. The number is not indicative of the carry. They are somewhat in chronological order.

#1
First play after the Aldon fumble recovery. Vance is the red block.
Vance steps too far to the outside and allows his LB to cut inside. That LB is now pinned against VD who is currently winning his block against the DE. However, now VD can't follow and ride his block.

#91 sheds VD's block and makes the play for a +2 gain. Had 91 not been able to free himself, it may have gone for 4 or 5 with #54 closing in.

#2
The line of scrimmage is the 19.

Gore just got the handoff. Way too much penetration past the LoS by SEA. +1 yard gain.

#3
Ball is at midfield.

Gore gets the ball and has nowhere to go. Again too much penetration by SEA. The blue arrow guy makes the tackle. -1 yard.

#4
Gain of +1. Perhaps VD could have chosen the LB to block. I like the block Vance threw here.

#5
First play in 2nd half. Staley gets whooped by RBryant and Boone decides to move to the second level too early. -1 yard

same play as above (#5)

#6
Here's Gore's best run of the day
3Q 9:46 1st&10. +9 yard gain. Chancellor, lined up over Boldin, thinks it's a pass play for a couple seconds, then gets juked by Gore.

Yuck...successful but threading a needle with 3 defenders and staring Crabtree down the entire way? Lucky!

Check that down to either Hunter/McDonald here and pick up some nice, easy positive yards (probably 10ish).

Really?

Quarterbacks throw to AREAS, Crabtree's route was taking him into the only open area on the field. It was the perfect read and perfect throw.
You can't assume these "open" check down routes are open. They LOOK open, but the defenders close FAST on those routes. They might have gotten us three yards or less.

Rogers won a Super Bowl making two dozen of these super tight throws. These are the types of throws you have to make in the NFL.

Rodgers also killed us playng smart and going to his check downs for one of their TD drives b/c our pass rush was eating them up. They methodically marched down the field and scored a TD. Smart. This is CLEARLY an area CK doesn't look to...very very rarely (unless it's a design). And please explain to me why he couldn't have gone to McDonald or Hunter in check-down once he looked right (covered) and then saw 3 defenders on Crabtree on the left?

I have no issues with the accuracy of the throw but the decision overall here.

This "mentality" (ultra tight windows, going to Crabtree no matter what, throwing THROUGH defenders, etc.) has now cost us a Superbowl and an NFCCG.

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